Alistair Overeem voiced his disapproval recently at threats that were made towards him if he didn't accept a Sept. 10 booking against Antonio Silva for the second leg of the Strikeforce heavyweight grand prix.
There's just one thing; according to this report from Tatame, they weren't threats -- they were promises.
According to the Brazilian website, Overeem has been removed from the tournament and Daniel Cormier has been pegged to step in as his replacement.
There is word circulating that it could mean more than just "The Reem's" losing his spot in the grand prix; this could mean he was dismissed from his contract altogether.
It's important to note, however, that as of this time, that is just speculation in larger MMA circles and has not been confirmed through any official channels.
Either way, this is a near crippling blow to what had previously been a very successful concept for the world's number two promotion.
Overeem's loss, however, is a potentially big gain for Daniel Cormier, who apparently had no compunction with accepting what will undoubtedly prove to be a decidedly difficult test for the up-and-coming heavyweight.
He may have impressed greatly in his last outing against longtime veteran Jeff Monson, but does that mean he's ready for a "Bigfoot" like Antonio Silva?
We'll most certainly find out.
Silva made his way to the second round of the heavyweight grand prix tournament by blasting away any remains of the myth surrounding Russian legend Fedor Emelianenko.
His stock is currently at its highest and his losing out on a showdown against Overeem deals a serious blow to his aspirations of taking over the MMA world.
The Strikeforce grand prix will reportedly resume on Sept. 10 at a venue and location that has yet to be determined. Match-ups include Antonio Silva vs. Daniel Cormier and Josh Barnett vs. Sergei Kharitonov.
by Geno Mrosko
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